Apparatus for separating minerals.



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. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MINERALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Applicationled March 27, 1906. Serial No. 308,345.

' T0 a/ZZ whom, ttm/ay concern:

' Be it known that I, JAMES FRANCIS LATI- MER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in the city of Toronto, in the county 5 of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, mineralcgist, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Separating Minerals, of .which the following is a Y specification. io My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for separation and refining of graphite from graphitic material and molyb- -denite and other minerals from their gangue when similarly associated, and the objects of my invention are, firstly, to combine the selective action of oil in water with a centrifugal force to separate graphitic and similar minerals from pulverized rocky matter or gangue, thus partly refining the graphite or similar substance, an'd to complete refining lof same by secondly working the graphite or .similar substance against a currentvof water, the remaining rocky matter or'gangue being removed therefrom and passing away' by gravity together with the wash water, and it consists essentially of a vessel provided with a funnel-shaped bottom, and havinga controlled discharge-opening at the apex there-l of, a screen means operated above said screen so as to give the material held within y said vessel a gyratory movement; a

`sim le in construction,

pi e or conduit for introducing water into saidpvessel, and below said screen," and an outlet for I the' graphite or similar substance which leads A to an inclined vessel in which is mounted a revolving shaft provided with a lurality of blades so held thereon as to divi e and work the mass composed of the graphite or similar y'substance so as to separate therefrom the residue of the rocky matter or gangue that the first vessel fails to remove therefrom; and

ter and the refined graphite or similar substances, as hereinafter more particularly eX- v Iplained.

In my copending application for process for 4separating minerals, Serial Number 308,346, led March 27, 1906, IV claim the process carried outl by the apparatus hereinafter described.

Figure l is a vertical central. section through the major (portion of my apparatus.; Fig. 2 is an enlarge perspective View of po? l tion of the apparatus shown in Fig. i, shouvj l 55 ing a suitable means suitable discharge-openings for the wash wa- 'for deflecting tL-apar refined graphite or similar substance through a discharge o ening. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the preferre means used for separating in the first instance the rocky matter or gangue from the graphite or similar substance, and Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line a-b, Fig. l.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

By ,meansof my apparatus'I am enabled to e graphite or similar substances at the And as my -ap aratus is consequent y* it is not liab e to easily get out .',1 order. Y

A is any sultable cylindrical vessel pro; vided with a funnel-shaped bottomQB with the alpe); C of which connects ,a dischargepipe v v E is any sui table screen suitably sup orted within the vessel A and of coarser mesli than the ground. or` divided rocky matter or gangue. It will of course be understood that this screen fits within said vessel and immediately above the funnel-shaped' bottom of same, thus dividing the vessell into two compartments.

F are a number of minimum cost.

arms .radiating from a central rin G. These arms rest; upon the top of the bottom 'B and form suitable supports for the screen E. As Athese arms are narrow and few in number, they of course do not interfere with the passage of materi .l through the said screen.

-H 1s 'a hollow shaft, the lower end of which passes through the screen E and ring Gr'. In order to additionally sup ort this hollow shaft H I fit over same a co ar I provided With a number of Y radiating larms t which are suitably It will of course be low shaft H is free the collar I.

Before the pulverized rocky matter or gangue is passed into the veseel A, it isA thoroughly mixed with a suitable quantity ofy oil, and is then afterward thinned to 4the" required consistency with water. Previous to passing the oil-provided rocky matter or giugno into the vessel A, this vvessel 1s partly to turn in the ring G Vand ed with water, and by means of any suitably pulley J the hollow shaft H is revolved,

attached or secured thereto, to move around "bi with Then the oil-providedrockymatter or gangue is introduced into the vessel near the center thereof,and the valve C1 ccnattached to the vessel A. understood that the hol'- TOO [O5 lthus causlng thev arms or paddles K,'suitably h VIl() of the vessel A, and to the top of the water,

iA` 4g,

" j .through the discharge-pipes D and N is eq to the amount of water fed through the hol- ND... AssofulNastri-nsf trollin the discharge-pipe D is partly opene and at the same time A'water is admitted into the funnelshaped bottom through the hollow shaft H and in such quantity that a suitable portion will flow up through the screen E as shown by arrows and Cause a slight overflow through the discharge-openmg at the top of the vessel hereinafter described. The action of the arms or paddles K creates a centrifugal force, thus churning -the rocky matter or gangue and waterthoroughly so as to separate therefrom .the graphite which, gradually coheres and is forced to the top ofthe water. The centrifugal force carries the graphiteto the side and as I provide a dellecting plate L of suitable construction, the graphite is moved up said plate and through the discharge-opening M at the side of the vessel A near its top with which connects the discharge-pipe N for conveying the partly refined graphite away from said vessel.

The mesh of the screen E is coarser than the rocky matter or gangue, and as the centrifugal force in the compartment above the screen separates the graphite or similar substances therefrom, this rocky matter or gangue passes ,down through said screen and into the funnel-shaped bottom, whence it is carried away iwith, the wash water through the discharge-pipe D. The water coming into the vessel through the hollow shaft H is of such volume as to maintain the water within said vessel at substantially a constant volume so thatv the graphite or similar substances separated from the rocky matter or angue will be' at the proper level so as to be eilected into the discharge-pipe N. In other words, the amount of water pass U liti lowlshaftA I'I. The funnel-'shaped bottom conveys the refuse rockymatter or'gangue i directly to the discharge-pipe D and prevents any possibility ofy the, vessel A becoming choked.

It will be'notioed that the hollow shaft H is directly above the discharge-pipe D: I preferably place these parts of my apparatus so that a portion of the feed Water will pass directly into said discharge-pipe and insure its being thoroughly iushed.

Although I may use any suitable paddles or other means to create the necessary centrifugal force, I preferably construct these paddles as follows: O is collar suitably secured to the hollow shaft H as by set screws o.- This collar isiprovided with a number of lugs P provided with horizontal holes in which rest the stems Q of said paddles K. By means of the set-screws Roperating in the lugs P, the paddles K are held in the desired position by means of their stems Fromlligs. 1 and 3, it .will be seen that the'L paddles K `are given aI slight longitudinal turn so that in their action they will have a tendencyto exert an upward force, thus assisting the separation'of the graphite from the rocky matter or gangue.

By the construction just described, it will be understood that I can' adjust said paddles longitudinally, axially, and vertically. The defiecting plate L is shaped so as to fit against the inner side of the vessel A, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it is held at a downwardlyextending angle, thus providing an inclined plane up which graphite or similar substances pass. By providing this deflecting plate L with a disk 1, the conveying away of the A is facilitated.

the vessel A is passed into a vessel 2. Operating in this vessel Aare a plurality of paddles or blades 3 suitably secured to a revolvoughly by the different masses being cut by said blades and moved in the direction indicated by arrows with round tails. By means the vessel 2 at the opposite end to where th graphite is introdhced thereinto. f

blades 3 are placed at a suitable angle so that during the operation of the` shaft 4 they of the water which is indicated by arrows provided with crossed tails.` And as the vessel 2 is supported at an angle, the rocky mater or gangue; that was not separated from gravity, together with the stream of Water,- down the bottom of said vessel 2 toward Over the opening of the discharge-pipe 6 screen 8 of sufficient mesh to permit of the therethrough'. By dotted lines in'Fig. 1 will be seen the height at' which the water is preferably maintained within the vessel 2. As soon as the graphite has been moved up to the discharge-end of the vessel 2, it is forced thereoutof through the discharge-pipe 9. In

the graphite, it is conveyed by any suitable means, (such as an endless belt 10 operating over ulleys 11 in a frame 12) into a second vessel 14 shown immediately below the vessel 2, and is subjected to the same action therewithin as before described, as this v'essel 14 is constructed similar to the vessel 2. 13 is any suitable water pipe for feeding water into the vessel 14. By means of the pul- .1^ ',J.5and 16 secured respectively to the ing shaft 4. Through the action of the padi dles or blades 3 the graphite is worked thor- It will be noticed-that the paddles or work or move the graphite against theflowv separated rocky matter or gangue passing case it should be necessary to further refine graphite or similar substance from the vessel The partly refined graphite after lit leaves of a water pipe 5, water is introduced into IOC the graphite in the first vessel A, is removed-f-` y vfrom said graphite substance, and passes by. OS

discharge-end of same and out throughthe discharge-pipe 6. 7 is any suitable cock con# trolling the'iiow from said discharge-pipe 6.

IIO

leading from the vessel 2 is any suitable;

IIS

or gangue has been removed.

shafts 4 -and 17 and the belt 18, the paddles or blades within said vessels 2 and 14 are operated.

The angle at which the blades or paddles 3 are placed is such that they compel the mass of the graphite to move forward and upward to the discharge-pipe 9. The angle at which these blades are placed insures the swath or path of movement of any one blade. being overlapped by the swath or path of movement of the blades immediately above or below same, thus insuring through working of the masses of graphitic substance.

By, means of the second step in the rening of the graphite, I am enabled to produce a product from which all of the rocky matter If desired, I may have any suitable pipe or conduit 19 to direct the graphite passing from the vessel A down into the vessel 2.

By placing the vessel 2 below the vessel A it will be understood that I utilize gravity for the feeding of the graphite into the said vessel 2.

The pasty mass of graphite after it passes through this apparatus, is then pressed by anysuitable means so as to remove water and a portion of the oil, and the remaining portion of the oil is converted into commercial lampblack by combustion in a suitable furnace or recovered by distillation.

Molybdenite is concentrated in precisely the same manner as graphite.

I do not confine myself to the construction herein shown and described, as same may be altered in various Ways without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a vessel provided with a funnelshaped bottom and having a controlled dischar e-opening at the apex thereof, and provided at its top with a discharge-opening; an u wardly-sloping deflecting plate secured to t e inner side of said vessel and leading to said discharge-opening; a screen of suitable mesh supported within said vessel at the top of the funnel-shaped bottom thereof; a rotatable pipe or conduit for introducing water the top of the water so that it may be caught by said deflecting plate and so conducted out of said vessel through the discharge-opening.

2. An apparatus of the class described7 comprising a vessel rovided with a funnelshaped bottom and liaving a controlled discharge-opening at the apex thereof, and provided at its top with a dischar e-opening, an upwardly-sloping deecting plate secured to the inner side of said .vessel and leading to said discharge-opening; ascreen of suitable mesh supported within said vessel at the top of the funnel-shaped bottom thereof; a rotatable pipe or conduit for introducing water into said vessel and having its discharge-end opening below said screen; a collar suitably secured to said hollow rotatable conduit horizontally-held paddles adjustably held by said collar and at the required angle and de signed to operate above said screen so as to 8o create a centrifugal force so as to divide the graphite .from the rocky matter or gangue and at the same time create an additional upward current in the water above said screen to that caused by the flow of the water u 8 5 Ward through said screen so as to cause t e oil-provided graphite to rise to the top of the water so that it may be caught by said deiiecting plate and so conducted out of said vessel through the discharge-o ening.- 9o

3. An apparatus of the c ass described, comprising a vessel provided witha funnelshaped bottom having a controlled dischar eolpening at the apex thereof; an upward s oping deilecting plate extending into said vessel; a screen of suitable mesh supported within said vessel at the top of the-:funnelshaped bottom thereof; a rotatable pipe or conduit for introducing water into said vessel and having its discharge-end opening Ico below said screen;- horizontally-held paddles supported by said conduit at the required angle and designed to operate above said screen so as to create a centrifugal force so as to divide the raphite from the rocky matter ro 5 or gangue amI at the same time create an additional upward current in the waterabove said screen to that caused by the flow of water upward through said screen so as to cause into said vessel and having its discharge-end opening below said screen; horizontally-held paddles supported by said conduit at the required angle and designed to operate above said screen so as to create a centrifugal force so as to divide the graphite from the rocky matter or gangue and at the same time create an additional upward current in the water above said screen to that caused by the flow of the water upward through said screen so as the water so that it may be caught by said deflecting plate and so conducted out of said vessel. v

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. JAMES FRANCIS LATIMER.

Witnesses:

L. G. SHARPE,

to cause the oil-provided graphite to rise to F. MoDERMoTT.

the oil-provided graphite to rise to the top of 1 ro 

